Illuminated aerial top



June 18, 1957 L c. FRENCH- ILLUIIINATED AERIAL TOP 2 s he'ets-she at -1Filed June 10, 1955 'INVENTOR. Mums c. FRENCH A ORN Y 1. c. FRENCH2,795,898

ILLUHINATED AERIAL 'TOP June 18, 1957 2 smite-sheet 2 Filed June 10,1955 mmvrox. [All/REM! 6'. F/at'AfC/I BY United States Patent'Oi2,795,898 ILLUMINATED Tor I Lawrence (i Frencm Coronadm Calif.

Application June 10, 1955, Serial No. 514,442

1 Claim. (Cl. 46228) This invention relates to amusement devices andmore particularly to the well-known string operated aerial top.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide an aerialtop equipped with illuminating means whereby the toy is fullyilluminated in a manner which is highly pleasing to the eye when thedevice is operated in the dark.

Another object of the invention is to provide an illuminated aerial topin which the parts can be easily disassembled for the purpose of repairsor replacements.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an illuminatedaerial top in which the parts are simply constructed and capable ofbeing manufactured at a low monetary figure.

These and various other objects and advantages of the invention willbecome apparent to the reader of the fol- I lowing description.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a diametrical sectional view through the improved top withthe battery case in elevation.

Figure 2 is a section taken substantially on line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section taken substantially on line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view through the centralportion of the structure.

Figure 5 is an exploded side elevational view of the structure, with oneof the shells and a portion of the battery case in section.

Figure 6 is a section taken substantially on line 6-6 of Figure 4.

Referring to the drawings wherein like numerals designate like parts, itcan be seen that numerals 10, 11 generally refer to a pair ofbowl-shaped shells, the bowl having a central opening, the edge portionof the bowl at this opening being formed with threads to accommodate thethreaded enclosed end portion 12 of a cylindrical battery case 13, theother end of which is opened and formed with threads for cooperationwith internal threads of a collar 14 that projects inwardly from theouter wall of the shell 11, as is clearly shown in Figure 4. Interposedbetween this end of the case 13 and said wall of the shell 11 is acontact spring 15 of curved form and which is intended to engage thezinc part of a dry cell battery 16, placed within the case 13.

This type of battery 16 has a jacket a of insulation and has the usualcarbon electrode contact 17, which engages the portion 18 of a contactbar, which has a short leg 19 extending laterally from one end and alongone side of the jacket a and against which the contact 20 of a lamp 21can engage and which also has a longer leg 22 extending along thediametrically opposite side of the insulation jacket a and against whichthe contact 23 of a second lamp 24 can engage.

Suitably secured in openings in the case 13 are internally threadedsockets 25, 26 with which the threaded contact sleeves of the bulbs 21,24 engage. A conductor Paterite'dJun'e 18, 1957 ice wire 27extendsfromthe socket 25," through'an opening 'irrthe case '13 airdtothe socket 26. Of'course this is a conductor with acovering ofinsulation.

' 15;ex'tnds outwardly'through an opening inthe case'13 and has a shortarm 32 from which a hair spring 33 extends. This spring is preferablyprovided with a coil so as to stabilize its form and has an outstandingleg 34 with a weight 35 at its end.

The shell 10 has an inner wall 36 and the shell 11 has an inner wall 37.These walls are fixed to the case 13, this being shown in Figure 5.

The shells 10, 11 are of transparent or translucent material, preferablya plastic material. These shells may be of any color and of course thelamps 21, 24 may also be of the same or varied colors.

As is apparent in Figure 4, either one of the shells can be easilyunscrewed from the battery case 13 so that the lamps 21, 24 can bereplaced or repairs made.

In the use and operation of this amusement device, the parts areassembled as shown in Figure 4, the shells 10, 11 assuming the positionwith respect to each other as shown. There is a cord 38 which extendsthrough an opening 39 in the wall 36 and is knotted as at 40 to pre ventretraction through said opening.

The cord 38 is wound around the case 13 in order to start the amusementdevice.

As is usual in the operation of the conventional aerial top, the outerend of the cord 38 is held while the top is thrown outwardly or dropped.The structure rotates rapidly in one direction and by yielding the cordwhen the structure reaches the lower end, the top will begin to winditself onto the cord and move upwardly on the cord, rewinding the cordin the opposite direction. This operation can be repeated time and timeagain so long as the operator affords the yielding motion above referredto at the lower end of the travel of the spinning structure.

It will be observed, that current from the battery, when the top is inoperation, will pass from the carbon post contact 17 of the dry cellbattery 16 to the contact bar 18. Current will pass from the leg 19through the lamp 21 and socket 25, by way of the conductor 27 to thesocket 26 and through the lamp 24 and socket 26 to the yoke 28 and hairspring contact 33 and from there to the contact strip 31 and spring 15which is in engagement with the opposite side of the battery 16.

When the top is spinning in one direction, centrifugal force promoted bythe presence of the weight 35 will cause the contact 33, by centrifugalforce to be positioned in one direction against the arm 29, thuscompleting the electrical circuit, and when the top reverses itself,centrifugal force takes effect swinging the hair spring contact 33 inthe opposite direction to engage the other arm 30 of the yoke 28completing the circuit including the battery and lamps 21, 24.

However, when the top is idle, the lights are extinguished because thecontact leg 34 will assume a spaced position between the arms 29, 30 ofthe yoke 28, as shown in Figure 6.

The ends of the bar 18 are formed with grooves at the ends thereof toreceive the base portions of the lamps 21, 24, the purpose for thisbeing to prevent the bar from moving away from the lamps during rotationof the assembly.

While the foregoing description sets forth the invention in specificterms, it is to be understood that numerous changes in the shape, sizeand materials may be resorted to without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention as claimed hereinafter.

Having described the invention when is claimed as new 15: a

A device of the character described comprising a pair of hollowbowl-shaped shells having their inner edges in opposed spaced relation,one of said shells having a centrally disposed threaded opening, aninternally threaded collar centrally disposed on the inner face of theother shell, a cylindrical battery case threaded at each of its endsrespectively in said opening and said collar, an inner wall for each ofsaid shells connected to its inner edges and each of said wallsencompassing said case, a

lamp socket in each end portion of said case, a lamp in each socket, acord connected to one wall and adapted to be wound upon said casebetween said walls, a battery in said case, and means electricallyinterconnecting said bat- 5 tery and said lamps.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSTestino Dec. 30, 1952 2,629,202 Stivers Feb. 24, 1953

